New York Mets' Michael Conforto, right, is greeted by teammate Pete Alonso after hitting a solo run home run against the Miami Marlins in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019 in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

On deck: 2020 baseball gets early jump with March 26 openers

August 12, 2019 - 9:57 am

The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball will open its 2020 season March 26, its earliest start other than international games. The schedule also features a late April series in Puerto Rico between the New York Mets and Miami Marlins.

Globe Life Field, the new home of the Texas Rangers, opens March 31. This is the first new ballpark since the Atlanta Braves' SunTrust Park opened in 2017. Globe Life will be the seventh big league stadium with a retractable roof after those in Toronto, Phoenix, Seattle, Houston, Milwaukee and Miami. Tampa Bay has a fixed roof.

The commissioner's office also said Monday all 30 teams could play on opening day for the first time since 1968. A full slate was scheduled in 2018 but two games were postponed. The 2020 regular season is to end Sept. 27, putting the World Series on track for Oct. 20-28.

The Angels host the Dodgers on July 10-11 heading into the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 14 — giving both teams a rare Sunday day off on July 12.

Previously announced, the Cubs and Cardinals will play two games in London in June. The Yankees and White Sox will play Aug. 13 at a ballpark next to the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa. A Little League Classic between the Red Sox and Orioles is set for Aug. 23 Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The American League opening-day games are: New York Yankees at Baltimore, Kansas City at the Chicago White Sox, Detroit at Cleveland, the Los Angeles Angels at Houston, Minnesota at Oakland, Texas at Seattle, Boston at Toronto.

In the National League, it's: Atlanta at Arizona, St. Louis at Cincinnati, San Francisco at the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia at Miami, the Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee, Washington at the New York Mets and Colorado at San Diego, The one interleague matchup has Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay.